The present invention relates to a memory card connector, and particularly to a memory card connector having latching means for securely latching a shield to a header of the memory card connector thus ensuring effective electromagnetic shielding and enhancing signal transmission quality between the memory card and a connected device.
Signal transmission rates of electronic systems continually increase, generating increased electromagnetic interference, thereby adversely affecting signal transmission quality. Therefore, a shield is commonly mounted to a memory card connector for ensuring signal transmission quality. Pertinent prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,482 as well as Taiwan Patent Application No. 86210606.
A shield of a conventional memory card connector is commonly fixed to a header of the conventional memory card connector by means of a screw assembly. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a shield 80 forms a latching clip 81 on opposite side edges thereof. Each latching clip 81 comprises a lateral plate 811 perpendicularly extending from one side edge of the shield 80 and a bottom plate 812 perpendicularly bending from a bottom edge of the lateral plate 811. The bottom plate 812 is parallel to the shield 80 and defines a hole 813 therein.
When the shield 80 is fixed to a header 82 of the conventional memory card connector, the latching clips 81 are deposited in corresponding receiving recesses 83 defined in the header 82. A nut 84 is positioned on the bottom plate 812 of the corresponding latching clip 81 while a screw 85 extends through the hole 813 for engaging with the nut 84 thereby securely latching the shield 80 to the header 82.
However, the latching clips 81 are positioned in the corresponding receiving recesses 83 without any engagement between the latching clips 81 and the receiving recesses 83. Therefore, when the screws 85 are fit into the corresponding holes 813, an external tool is commonly required to prevent movement of the shield 80. Otherwise the latching clips 81 may be displaced from the receiving recesses 83 changing the position of the shield 80, resulting in a decrease of shielding effectiveness. In addition, since the latching clips 81 are not engaged with the receiving recesses 83, if the nuts 84 and the screws 85 become detached from each other, the shield 80 may separate from the header 82 when the electrical connector is assembled to a computer, thereby degrading the shielding effectiveness of the shield 80.